One type of data storage system is a hard disc drive. A typical hard disc drive includes one or more magnetic discs that are rotated by a spindle motor at a substantially constant high speed and accessed by an array of read/write heads that store data on tracks defined on the disc surfaces. Each head is carried by a slider which is designed to “fly” just over the surface of the rotating disc. Each slider is attached to a head gimbal assembly. Each head gimbal assembly includes a suspension and a head gimbal assembly circuit that carries electrical signals between the read/write head and hard disc drive electronics.
Head gimbal assemblies can be manufactured in part by using an electroplating process. Electroplate processing requires that an electrical power or current source be connected to the head gimbal assemblies. The head gimbal assemblies typically will include bus traces to accomplish this electrical connection. Bus traces extend outside of the head gimbal assembly circuitry area to a point where they can be connected to a power source for electroplating. After electroplating, the bus traces are usually sheared, leaving a number of bus traces on the head gimbal assemblies with no further use. These bus traces and their associated processing have certain disadvantages such as causing distortion in electrical signals sent to and received from the read/write heads. Bus traces also require that an additional amount of area be added to HGA circuits. This may increase manufacturing costs and limit how close multiple head gimbal assemblies can be stacked together.